Voices for Victory

As we approach V Week, we are very excited to be rolling out a new event. BOO-YAH A Celebration of Stuart Scott will take place on Monday, December 6th in New York City. The event will benefit the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund which is dedicated to reducing disparities in cancer outcomes and funding underrepresented minority scientists. A special thanks to our sponsors who have made t...

As October winds down, we continue our emphasis on Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The V Foundation is committed to fund cutting-edge breast cancer research and to date has awarded more than $29 million in research grants for breast cancer. More research means more breakthroughs which means more survivors. Today, we speak with breast cancer survivor Asha Miller. Asha was in the best shape of her li...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So, today we're talking breast cancer. Specifically, we're focusing on BRCA gene mutations with BRCA Foundation Founder & Chair of the V Foundation Board of Directors Evan Goldberg.  We speak to Evan about what motivated him to get involved in cancer research, what his first year as Board Chair has been like and what he sees for the future of the V Fou...

As we close out Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, we are so excited to chat with WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston about his plans to take down one tough opponent: pediatric cancer   Tune as he tells us why pediatric cancer research is so important to him, what it was like experiencing some of the best moments of his career with his kids, and his Fantasy Football league with fellow Superstar the Miz tha...

September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Sadly, more 15,000 kids and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year in the U.S. In fact, cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death in the U.S. of children over 1-year-old. That's one reason we are working so hard to fund more life-saving research through the Dick Vitale Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research which has funded nearly $55...

Today, we speak with Nick Valvano. Nick served as CEO of the V Foundation from 1999-2012 and we chat with him about what it was like to grow up with Jim as a brother, the early days of the V Foundation and what he's most proud of from his time leading the organization.  If you enjoy the pod, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen! If you'd like to learn more about the work the V F...

The 2021 Victory Ride is right around the corner. Today, we hear from two ride participants, Matt Flippin and Angel Bond, as they speak about what motivates them to train and fundraise as well as what they're most looking forward to about the in-person ride on August 28. We also chat with Braswell Family Farms president Trey Braswell about why being part of this event means so much to their organi...

Today we take a look into the history of the V Foundation's Wine Celebration. This annual weekend each August, brings people from the investment, technology, medical, sports, entertainment and wine communities together to raise money for cancer research. To date, the event has raised over $118 million for cancer research and related programs. On this episode we will be joined by the Wine Celebrati...

Today, on what would be his 56th birthday, we remember Stuart Scott with his longtime SportsCenter co-anchor and good friend Scott Van Pelt about that friendship, what he remembers most about Stuart's battle with cancer,  and what he thinks Stuart's legacy will be. Learn more about the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at www.v.org. 

In 2018, Andrew Jones was competing in his sophomore basketball season at the University of Texas when he was diagnosed with leukemia. Listen to hear from Andrew on how he faced his diagnosis, his return to the court and how he's using this experience to help others. Learn more about the V Foundation or make a donation today at www.v.org. 

Today, we speak with Dr. Funmi Olopade, a member of our Scientific Advisory Committee. Dr. Olopade grew up in Nigeria and earned her medical degree there before coming to the United States determined to make a difference. She is world-renowned for her research on familial forms of cancer as well as genetic and non-genetic factors contributing to tumor progression in diverse populations. She is als...

June is National Cancer Survivor Month. There are nearly 17 million cancer survivors in the U.S. and with continued advancements through cancer research that number is expected to grow to 26 million by 2040. Today, we speak to 3 of those survivors - each with a story of how they made it through their own cancer journey and how they continue to advocate for research and those around them. First, we...

Today, we are joined by V Foundation Board Member and Chair of the V Foundation’s Virginia Vine event, Julie Chase! Tune in to hear about the effort that went into making the 2021 Virginia Vine a huge success, her passion for cancer research, and what it takes to be a leader in business. To learn more about the V Foundation or to donate, please visit www.v.org

Today, we speak with Eden Bridgeman of the Bridgeman Charitable Group. We discuss the Trifecta Gala and why she believes the V Foundation is the perfect charitable partner, the vision for her newest business ventures with Ebony & Jet magazines, and the importance of women of color being in positions of power. To learn more about the V Foundation or to donate, please visit v.org.

Each year in April, the V Foundation hosts Virginia Vine. The annual signature event highlights Virginia’s wine and their renowned cancer research centers while raising funds for the V Foundation’s mission. Today, we’ll start by speaking to Danielle Lavetan, the V Foundation’s Director of Signature Events, about what we can expect from the event and how you can join. Then, we’ll speak with special...

The madness of March is well under way and so today, we bring on ESPN Basketball Analyst and V Foundation Board Member Jay Bilas. One of the brightest and funniest names in sports, Jay is incredibly passionate about cancer research. We talk about why joining the V Foundation board was an easy call, ESPN’s top-to-bottom passion for supporting cancer research, his memory of NC State’s 1983 National...

It’s March and college basketball is once again taking over the national landscape. As we fill out our brackets, we consider who could join the pantheon of Jim Valvano and the ’83 Wolfpack as legends of the NCAA Tournament. With that in mind, we speak with Ralph Sampson, without question one of the greatest college basketball players of all time as a three-time winner of the Naismith Player of the...

Today, we speak with Jim Ryan, SVP of Constellation Brands. Each year, Constellation Brands rallies a nationwide network of distributors to raise money in support of the V Foundation. The partnership began more than a decade ago and since then they have raised nearly $20 million. We talk about why a partnership with the V Foundation made sense for Constellation, the benefits of partnering with a n...

Today, we’re joined by someone who may be more often associated with Jim Valvano than any other public figure: the star of the 1983 National Champion men’s basketball team from NC State, Dereck Whittenburg. Dereck has long been an integral member of the V Foundation team and today we’ll talk about the day he met Jim, the legacy of that 1983 team and why staying involved with the V Foundation has a...

Today, we talk to Dr. Bill Nelson, the director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, V Foundation board member and the chair of the V Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). We chat with Dr. Nelson about his role with the SAC and how they determine which scientists fit the bill to receive a V Foundation grant. We’ll also talk about how his career led him to...

2020 has changed a lot, but one thing it hasn't changed is the urgent need for continued cancer research. Today, we’re speaking with three V Foundation supporters about how their lives have been touched by cancer and why they've chosen to support the V Foundation. First, we’ll talk to Mark Holwerda about the passing of his father and the connection to both research and basketball that led him to s...

It’s V Week! Each year, our friends at ESPN shine a spotlight on the V Foundation and encourage their viewers to join them in donating to lifesaving cancer research. This year, there’s a focus on the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. This fund, established by ESPN and the V Foundation, honors the memory of the unforgettable Stuart Scott. A champion of cancer research, Stu was especially...

Today, we’re focusing on the BRCA gene and how mutations to it can be so impactful. As we continue to learn more about genetics and how that can effect our health, specifically in regards to cancer, BRCA is something you might be hearing more about. But what do we really know about it? We talk to Carole Wegner, PhD, HCLD, and the V Foundation’s SVP of Grants and Research Administration to clear up...

Today our guest is actor and director James Roday Rodriguez. James, who plays Gary, a cancer survivor, on the hit ABC show A Million Little Things, has joined forces with WWE Superstar the Miz to take on a Fantasy Football Challenge this season to raise money for cancer research. We’ll chat about why playing a cancer survivor was an important and personal role for him and how it’s helped him conne...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and today in our conversations we shine a light on those facing the disease and highlight the need for more research. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the US among women and this year alone there will be 275,000 new cases and 42,000 deaths. In fact, 13% of all women in the US will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Today, we speak to Jen Eaton and Ka...